Time-on-Tools and Minimum Required Installation

Labor productivity IS NOT the biggest problem with field productivity. Under similar conditions the variation in how fast two crafts people actually “turn wrenches” is about 2X but there are far bigger problems to tackle. Focus on these three areas.

D. Brown Management Profile Picture
D. Brown Management
February 5, 2018 2 minute read
field productivity foreman training labor productivity
Share

 

Field Productivity: Labor Productivity IS NOT The Biggest Problem With Project Productivity

 

  1. Maximize Time-on-Tools (ToT): Ensure that crafts people spend most of their day working with their tools actually installing things.  Different studies place the industry average between 50-65%.  Leverage the 6 Pillars of Productivity and ABC Daily Planning.  
  2. Minimum Required Installation (MRI): Don’t take critical shortcuts but don’t over-build the project.  In the field we would call it “Gold Plating.” Effective installation details, craft training and good field supervision practices will ensure that you get the right level of quality. 
  3. Minimize Rework: The only greater waste than installing more than what is required is doing it twice.

General Contractors and Project Owners can do a lot to set the conditions for success with their labor-intensive subcontractors. 

4 Elements of an Effective Task

Site Logistics Management

Time-on-Tools and Minimum Required Installation
Field labor is the often the biggest variable on a construction project - making it the biggest risk and opportunity....
Previous Next Go To Series
Related Insights Series
Related Training
Time-on-Tools and Minimum Required Installation
Field labor is the often the biggest variable on a construction project - making it the biggest risk and opportunity....
Previous Next Go To Series
Related Insights Series
Change Management Workflow (From Identification-to-Payment)
For contractors to manage changes effectively, they must understand the entire change management workflow up through the project owner’s approval and payment process.
Related Article
Lean Principle - Understanding Lean Construciton
Lean is a body of knowledge dating back hundreds of years focused on sustainably growing an organization. During the last 20 years the construction industry has been rapidly adopting some of these tools to improve productivity.
Related Article
Time-on-Tools and Minimum Required Installation
Labor productivity IS NOT the biggest problem with field productivity. Under similar conditions the variation in how fast two crafts people actually “turn wrenches” is about 2X but there are far bigger problems to tackle. Focus on these three areas.
Related Article